Saturday, March 19, 2011

Writing with a non de plume: What's in a name?

The folks at Writer's Relief have put together a good article on the pros and cons of writing under an assumed name.
I generally advise against it today, because of the online marketing needed for visibility. It seems doubly complex with needing two email addresses, business cards, a different blog identity,and so on. Read the full article here.

As the article states:

The minute you decide to take on a nom de plume, be prepared to stick to that name in your correspondence and at writers’ conferences and book signings. You want people to associate that name with you, not give them a slew of different names to remember.

Hint: If you do choose to go with a pen name, choose a name that’s not too generic or linked to someone else. Try an online search of your prospective name to see what comes up.

About Me

Helen Gallagher is a national speaker and publishing consultant. Today, her thriving consulting practice is augmented by her writing on business and technology, with over 100 articles in major business and trade publications.
Just for fun, to celebrate ten years in business, Helen wrote her first book: "Computer Ease," selected by Forbes.com Book Club, and winner of a non-fiction award from the Illinois Women's Press Association (IWPA) in 2006. Helen is a contributor to Lonely Planet's Travelers Tales book, "The World is a Kitchen". Her essay won the IWPA award in 2007. Her 2007 book "Release Your Writing: Book Publishing Your Way" helps writers find the path to their dream of getting published. "Release Your Writing" is a USA Book News Award finalist. Helen's newest book "Blog Power & Social Media Handbook" hit store shelves in August 2010.
Helen's freelance writing appears in national magazines and numerous online sites. She is also a book reviewer for BlogCritics Magazine, OpenSalon.com and New York Journal of Books.
Helen supports organizations that support writers: member of ASJA, IWWG, OCWW, MWA, SPAWN.ORG